Safety-discharge-valve mechanism.



No. 885,578 PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

J. G. BOWERS. SAFETY DISCHARGE VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2B, 1908.

, composed of several parts,

JOHN G BOWERS, OF TAYLOR, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF TAYLOR, TEXAS.

ONE-HALF TO J F BLAGK, OF

SAFETY-DISCHARGE-VALVE MECHANISM- 4 i Application filed January 28,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be ,it known that I, JonN C. Bowen-s, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taylor, in the county of Williamson and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-,Discharge-Valve Mechanism, of which the following is a speci fication'. I

This invention relates to safety discharge valve mechanism adapted primarily for connection with air brake apparatus, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and effective device of this character which is op erative automaticall Y to cause the discharge of air from the train line or pipe to an extent sufficient to obtain the application of the brakes when the pressure in said train line has been gradually reduced through leakage,

pump stoppage or from any other cause not noticed by train men, to a point winch would endanger safety in operation of the train.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part'of this specification,.l show in detail one simple form of embodiment of the invention, which, to enable those skilled in the art to practice thesame, will be set forth in detail in thc'following description while the novelty of the invention will be included in the claims succeeding said description.

Referring to said drawings :-Figure 1 is an elevation on a reduced scale of safety dis.- charge valve mechanism involving my invention, and showing the same operatively connected with a pipe connecting the engineers brake valve and equalizing reservoir; Fig. 2 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of the de vice; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same; Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through the device at the manually operable valve and. Fig. 5 is a .rs ective vicw of the automatically operab e va ve.

Like characters refer to like arts throughout the several figures of the rawings.

The different operative parts of the device are inclosed by a casing as2. This casing is one of which 1s a valve bod as 3 shown as externally threaded at one en for connection to a pipe as 4 connecting the engineers brake valve 5 and equalizing reservoir 6.- The engineers brake valve 5, the equalizing reservoir 6 and pipe connection '4 .may be and preferably are of wellknown construction, or which reason the need not be described in detail.

he valve body 3 is represented as having Specification of Letters Patent.

solidly'against the tube 12.

through the screw 15 may also serve as a 1908. Serial No. 413,024.

' a longitudinal passage or'bore as 7 across which the plug valve 8 'extends, said plug valve having a port as 9. When the valve 8 is closed, its-port 9 is out of register with the passage or bore 7 which latter, as will be clear, is in communication with the pipe 4. When said valve is open the port 9 and passage 7 coincide. I have shown the valve 8 as closed in Fig. 3 and the reason for this- The va1ve8 is hand will hereinafter ap ear. o erable, and for t is purpose it may be provided with an arm or lever as arranged adjacent to the handle of the engineers brake valve 5:

To the outer end of the valve body 3 there Patented April 21, 190B.

10 preferably I is shown as connected by a threaded joint and into the same is threaded thetube 12, the sleeve or nut 11 and tube 12 constituting a boxing for the automatically operable valve designated in a general way by 13 14 for said valve.

tube 12is fitted a hollow screw 15 surrounded by the jam nut 16 which abuts in practice Said tube'12 with the screw 15, sleeve or nut 11 and valve body 3, constitute in thepresent instance such a casing as that to which I have hereinthe nut or sleeve 11 before briefly referred for inclosing the different working parts of the device. 1 One end of the spring 14 abuts against the screw 15, while the opposite end thereof abuts against the body17 of the valve 13, said s ringsurrounding the stem 18 of said vai ve. The head or operative portion of the valve is denoted by 19, and it is of substantially circular or (llSk form, it having on the inner face thereof the similar intersecting. grooves or relief passages 20, the function of which will be" hereinafter set forth. The valve stem 18 moves longitudinall 12 and screw 15. y said screw 15, the tension of the s can be regulated so as toobtain t e automatic action of the valve 13 in opposition to a redetermined amount of pressure. The to e 12 is shown as having two relief openings, each designated as 21, whichcommunicate with theatmosphere, and the opening T the manipulation of lief port. I

During normal action the valve 8 will be open, so that the pressure of the equalizing reservoir 6 can, through the pipe or other connection '4, act against themner face of the and the operating spring. Into the outer end of the ring 14 of and within the tube respondingly sha position Of'SiLltl valve 13; that is,

valve 13 for the purpose of holding the tapered portion 22 of said valve against a cored seat ,at the inner-end of eing the closed and normal when the valve 13 is in such relation it shuts the assage 7 off from the atmosphere. It wil be assumed that a low pressure is present in the reservoir 6 and that, the spring 14 has been adjusted to overcome this lower pressure. As soon as this result takes place, the spring 14 becomes effective for moving the flat inner face of the valve 19 against the outer flat face of the valve body 3, whereby the orts 21 are put into sage 7. When this occurs aircan flow from said passage 7 through the crossing channels 20 into the sleeve or nut 11, then into the tube 12 and through the ports 21 to the atmosphere,- thereby obtaining such a reduction of air pressure asto effect thesetting of the brakes. This action occurs in a rapid manner and, when it ensues, the attention of the tube 12, this the engineer or other individual is at once whic uires remedying called to any defect that re e normal. or prein the system. So long as t scribed pressure is maintained in the system the device is not operative and does not affect the usual operation of the brake devices in any manner whatsoever. regardless of the osition of brake valve handle whether the atter be at full release, running or lap position.

In charging the train line, the valve or cook 8 should be closed until the pressure in the passage 7 will overcome the spring 14, at which time said valve 8 is. opened. I provide, as will now appear, means for positively indicating to a train man the fact that the valve 8 is closed. In said valve or co'ck 8 is a port 22 of small diameter communicating with the port 9 and which when the valve-8. 's closed, is adapted to receive air from the inner side of the passage 7, such air passing through said port 22, through the port 9 and escaping laterally through a telltale port as 23 in the valve body 3, with said tell-tale 'port 23 the main port 9 when the 'valve 8 is is adapted "to register 3 and 4. Should closed, as shown in Figs.

therefore, the'valve or cook 8 be inadvert-' ently left closed, the engineer will be at once apprised of thisfact by the blowing of the tell-tale port 23,: which air the passage 7 successively through the orts 22-, 9, and 23.

It will be c ear from the foregoing description taken in connection with the annexed drawings that I combine with the equalizing reservoir, engineers brake valve, and intermediate pipe connection, a casing in communication with said pipe connection or equivalent part of whatever character it may be. In this casing is mounted a valve held to its seat normally by pressure of air in air through passes from communication with sai pasin the reservoir passes said equalizing reservoir to prevent the escape to atmosphere of pressure. In conjunction with this valve I provide means such as a spring acting against the same and of such a nature as to move said valve away from said seat when the pressure in the equalizing reservoir has been lowered to a certain point, at which time the air from the reservoir can ass to the atmosphere by way of a suitable not through said casing, which duct, as will be clear from what has been stated, is constituted in the present instance by several passages or ports.

I prefer that the casing 2 containing the valve 8 be placed in the cab of an engine so that the handle, lever, or arm 10 of said valve will be freely accessible to the engineer operating the customary brake valve 5. The automatically operative valve can act under normal conditions no matter what the position of the engineers brake valve may be, Whether in full release or any other position, to eifect under the conditions hereinbefore set forth the setting of the brakes. The safety valve 13 can be made to operate by the action of its spring at any desired ressure; said safety valve can be regulated by the adjustment in tension of the spring 14. It will be understood that the safety valve 13 is not cut in for operation until the ressure in the reservoir 6 has been pumpe u to exceed the tension of the spring 14, hen such pressure is reached the valve 8 is o ened so that the .air can act against the va ve 13 to force the same against its seat on the tube 12 and thereby cut the reservoir 6 off from the atmosphere. It will be assumed that a train equipped with a device such as that hereinbefore described is running and that air commences to escape to atmosphere b way of -safety-valve mechanism. This cal s attention to the fact that air is being reduced below pressure at hich the said safety valve is set, and this warning willbe given before the brakes are a plied. If it is desired to not stop the train the valve 8 is closed and the pressure in the reservoir 6 is elevated up to a point sufficient .to hold the safety valve to its seat, at permit'the pressure to act against t e safety valve to again force the latter to its seat and in readiness for service as before.

What I claim is: 1. The combination of the equalizing res! ervoir, engineers brake valve, and intermediate connection of an air brake system, a

'in other words, the opening of thewhich time the valve 8 is o ened to casing in communication with said reservoir, I

a valve in said casing, normally held to its seat by pressure of air in said reservoir, to prevent the escape of air to atmosphere, and means acting against said valve to permit the air to pass to atmosphere when the pressure below a certain point.

2. The combination of a casing having an air passage, a valve in said casing held closed against its seat by pressure of air in said passage, means to force the valve away from said seat when the pressure in said passage is reduced to a certain point, and a second valve for controlling the flow of air through said passage, said second valve having means 00- operative therewith for putting the pressure side of the assage into communication with the atmosp ere when said second valve is closed.

3. The combination of a casing having an air passage,- a valve in said casing held closed against its seat by pressure of air in said pas sage, a spring to force the valve away from itsseat and against the outlet end of said 'withsaid passage w passage when the pressure of air therein is reduced to a predetermined point, and a second valve having a ort adapted to re ister iien said second valve is opened, the second valve havin a second port and the casing having a tell-tale port, said second port and said telltale port being adapted to register when said second valve is closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence'of twosubscribing witnesses.

4 JOHN O.'BOWERS.

Witnesses:

H. S SMITH, G. D. PATTERSON. 

